Co-operation key for sea security

Update:
June, 14/2016 - 09:00

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Commodore Michiel Hijmans (Right), former deputy permanent military representative of the Netherlands to NATO and the European Union at a conference in Ha Noi on the management and settlement of complicated maritime issues.— Photo laodong.com.vn

HÀ NỘI — A common perspective among countries on the risks facing regional maritime security is crucial to build strong co-operation, said Commodore Michiel Hijmans, former deputy permanent military representative of the Netherlands to NATO and the European Union.

He made the statement yesterday during a conference in Ha Noi on the management and settlement of complicated maritime issues, which was jointly organised by the EU Delegation in Việt Nam and the Việt Nam Academy of Diplomacy.

Maritime security is a shared concern of all regional countries facing common challenges and risks such as storms, flooding, tsunamis and environmental problems, he said.

Hijmans also pointed to the need to design a comprehensive strategy involving not only naval forces, but also other forces in order to deal with maritime security issues.

Working together is key for success in the field of maritime security, he stressed.

Professor Erik Franckx, a member of the Permanent Court of Arbitration and President of the Department of International and European Law at Free University of Brussels (Vrije University), said ASEAN should study the EU’s model on becoming a subject of international relations and a member of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

This will be useful for Southeast Asian countries during their international integration, as well as the usage of legal tools in fostering co-operation and dispute settlement, he added.

During the event, Vietnamese and international maritime experts and researchers also discussed a number of relevant issues, including the response to non-traditional maritime challenges, and the legal framework and regional lessons in settling disputes through peaceful measures. — VNS